ASU Baseball: Pitching, defense continue to fall short as Devils lose to Pacific

(Photo: Brady Klain/WCSN)

While the Arizona State Sun Devils collected seven runs and 14 hits on Sunday, they once again gave more than they got, leading to a 12-7 loss to the Pacific Tigers.

The game was a messy and lengthy affair early. ASU held a 2-1 lead after one inning, but starter Alec Marsh walked three of four batters to put the Tigers in a strong position. Marsh’s outing got worse after he overthrew an easy toss to first base, giving Pacific a run. He was replaced by Spencer Van Scoyoc.

Marsh has been one of ASU’s better pitchers this season, coming in with a 3.28 ERA and 54 strikeouts to 24 walks. His early struggles set a bad tone for the rest of the game, one that ASU coach Tracy Smith recognized.

“You set the tone on the mound,” Smith said. “What I saw on the mound, it clearly sets the tone, and that’s the one thing we need to understand and fully recognize. We aren’t going to be good and good consistently unless we’re consistent on the mound.”

Consistency on the mound eluded the Devils throughout Sunday’s outing. No ASU pitcher went more than 2 2/3 innings. As a staff, ASU gave up 10 earned runs with seven strikeouts and seven walks. They also threw three wild pitches, the last of which led to a Pacific run in the ninth.

The defense behind the pitchers fell short as well, another area of the game that has proven difficult for the Devils. ASU came into the game with 66 errors, 12 more than the next most in the Pac-12, and committed four on Sunday. Pacific capitalized on the opportunity, scoring two runs directly off ASU miscues. Beyond that, ASU misplayed a few other balls, including picking up a bunt that was rolling foul but failing to record an out.

Smith said that while his squad and continued to work hard in practice, their play in-game is not reflecting that. With little time left in the season, it seems like he and the team expected to be far more polished than they looked on Sunday.

“Maybe you’re not playing for postseason play, but you’re certainly playing to take a step forward,” Smith said. “I thought it was a giant step backwards in all facets, particularly on the mound. We gotta fix the problem. I was just disappointed.”

ASU had some things working for it at the plate. The Devils matched Pacific in hits and looked strong in the second inning, scoring four runs despite playing with two outs. Freshman righty Shelby Lackey came in to slow ASU down. Lackey surrendered six hits, but only one run. His opponents on the mound did not fare so well. With a two-run deficit, ASU gave up three runs in the ninth to make the comeback even harder.

For Smith, the offensive output was not a major issue, despite ASU’s runs drying up. Focusing more on the other side, he said the offensive output was “plenty enough to win a game.” ASU had a few calls, including a chaotic pick off in the sixth, get in the way of a comeback.

“There were some big calls that didn’t go in our favor in crucial situations,” Smith said. “I’m not saying it overcomes. Those are good umpires and a good crew, but it seems like when it rains, it pours. It’s hard for me to sit here and be critical of that when we performed like we did today.”

The Sun Devils now sit at 20-28, with a .500 record now out of reach. ASU will play Pacific again on Monday followed by a trip south to visit the rival Wildcats. They’ll close the season at the end of May with three games against the Cal Golden Bears.

With only a few games left, what Smith is looking for from his team remains clear.

“These last games, you’re looking at that one-day better and making sure if it’s not at a level of play, you make a statement,” Smith said. “The guy doesn’t play or whatever the case may be. The problem is, doing that today, you might not have a team by the end of the day. For me, it’s always been about getting one day better, and that’s why this one was so disappointing.”

ASU has an opportunity to get one day better on Monday at 6:30 p.m. when they have a rematch against the Tigers.